To quote the Bard, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. The founders of the former Riptide Music Festival are hoping its name change sounds just as sweet to the legions of alternative music fans that have staked out Fort Lauderdale for two days of revelry each December.
Riptide is now branded the Audacy Beach Festival, a distinction that my mind initially read as “Audacity,” which would have been a misnomer; there’s nothing particularly audacious about its lineup this year, though a handful of the genre’s major headliners will perform on a giant stage erected right on the beach. Twenty-One Pilots, the party starters who have topped the alternative charts with nine infectious cuts, will headline Dec. 4, while electronic powerhouses Swedish House Mafia, which just released its first new singles since 2012, will top the bill on Dec. 5, marking the trio’s 2021 festival debut.
On Dec. 4, fans can also look forward to the Lumineers, Glass Animals, Modest Mouse, Bleachers, WILLOW and Beabadoobee. Dec. 5 also features Weezer (who just can’t seem to quit South Florida, having just co-headlined the Hella Mega Tour here), AJR, Bastille, All Time Low, Yungblud, Walk the Moon, Cold War Kids, Tai Verdes, Mod Sun, Girl in Red and Nessa Barrett.
As with Riptide, the festival is affiliated with 104.3 The Shark, South Florida’s alternative radio station, and so it’s stocked with artists that receive regular airplay on its dial.
As for the name Audacy? It’s the streaming service formerly known as Radio.com; why the company rebranded from such a perfect domain name to something that’s difficult to pronounce or remember is beyond my ken. But I barely qualify as a millennial, so I probably just don’t get it.
Tickets run a cool $229 general admission or $329 for VIP access, which includes air-conditioned restrooms, a hospitality area with premium bars and specialty cocktails, an exclusive VIP entrance and more.
Here’s the current COVID fine print: “At this time, a negative test or outdoor masking is not required to attend the Audacy Beach Festival. Masking is encouraged when not eating or drinking. This is subject to change in conjunction with local city, county, and state health guidelines. For further information and changes to the COVID-19 guidelines please visit audacybeachfestival.com/info.”
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